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Holy Synod of Milan

The Holy Synod of Milan originated as a diocese for Western Europe of an Old Calendarist Greek Orthodox Church (see also Florinites). The full name of this jurisdiction is the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Milan, Western Europe and the Americas.

History

The diocese was granted a tomos of autonomy in 1984 from Archbishop Auxentios in order to pursue missionary work among the non-Orthodox people of the West. The title of the Synod at this time was the Metropolia of Western Europe. After the transference of its first Chief Hierarch, Metropolitan Gabriel of Portugal, to the autocephalousChurch of Poland, Bishop Evloghios of Milan was chosen as second Chief Hierarch and elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

Today Metropolitan Evloghios remains at the helm of the Holy Synod of bishops of the Church of Milan, which comprises eight dioceses, five in Europe and three in America, as well as missionary deaneries in England, France and South Africa.

As of 2008, the current makeup of the Synod is as follows.

In Europe:
Metropolitan EVLOGHIOS of Milan, First Hierarch
Archbishop LUCA of Torcello
Archbishop ONUPHRIUS of Bergamo (Titular; the Archbishop is the Representative to Eastern Europe for the Synod)
Bishop ABBONDIO of Como
Bishop PABLO of Italica, bishop for Spain and Portugal
Bishop BORIS of Germany

In America:
Archbishop HILARION of Austin
Archbishop JOHN of New York and New Jersey
Bishop PAVLOS of Maspeth

Since 1997 the Milan Synod includes a number of Western Rite communities, mainly in the United States, who worship according to pre-schismatic (historically Orthodox) liturgical traditions with the support of the Metropolitan and of the Holy Synod of Bishops. The principal rite of the Synod of Milan is the Byzantine Rite of the Orthodox Church, celebrated most commonly in the Slavic style but in some parishes in the Greek style.

Ecclesiastical status

As with almost all of the Old Calendarist jurisdictions, the Milan Synod is not currently in communion with the mainstream Orthodox churches.